Conservatives push to hold onto Texas Legislature

DALLAS — The first hints of just how conservative the 2013 Texas Legislature will be began to emerge in Tuesday’s primary election. Early returns showed conservatives — still fueled by a strong tea party movement — pushing to keep a strong grip on Texas public policy.

Republicans hold large majorities in both the House and Senate and are all but guaranteed to stay in power in 2013, but redistricting, retirement and ambition for new office led to some blistering campaigns, particularly among some GOP colleagues.

Even in a Legislature that rolled over Democrats to cut $4 billion in education, pass a voter ID law and place more restrictions on women seeking an abortion in 2011, this year’s primary campaigns were dominated by Republicans trying to prove who among them is the most conservative.

Several longtime Republicans found themselves locked in vicious campaigns, including a few incumbent House members who were forced to run against each other when new election maps were drawn in 2011.

The tea party movement that pushed House Republicans to a 101-49 super-majority in that chamber was again engaged in several key races across the state. In the House, Gov. Rick Perry waded into several campaigns to support tea party candidates and early returns showed the failed presidential candidate still holds strong influence within the Texas Republican base.

Perry endorsed Rep. James White, one of only two black Republicans in the Legislature last year, against Rep. Mike “Tuffy” Hamilton, who’s been in office since 2003. Early returns showed White leading Hamilton despite recently released records that showed the Livingston school district gave White a warning letter about inappropriately bringing up sex in classroom discussions about government while teaching high school in 2007. Perry still chose to endorse White at a campaign event last week.

Perry also backed state Rep. Kelly Hancock over state Rep. Todd Smith and for Senate District 9 in Dallas and Tarrant Counties and Hancock rolled to an easy victory.

“I’m proud to have supported strong fiscal and social conservatives across Texas who will join me in working to support stricter limits on government spending, opposing tax increases and preserving a strong rainy day fund,” Perry said.

But the education cuts of 2011 proved to be too much for some, particularly in rural areas. Rep. Marva Beck, R-Centerville, was defeated by Lufkin school board President Trent Ashby and Rep. Sid Miller, R-Stephenville, was fighting to at least get into a runoff with challenger J.D. Sheffield.

The far right did not look ready to take down Republican House Speaker Joe Straus, who has spent two years fending off challenges from within the GOP that he’s not conservative enough.

Straus defeated challenger Matt Beebe, but the San Antonio Republican also learned that his leadership will be challenged again when the Legislature convenes in January 2013. Rep. Bryan Hughes of Marshall announced Tuesday he’ll run for House speaker, an office elected by the House members.

“Tonight we have shown you can campaign on the power of positive ideas and not be drawn into the politics of personal destruction,” Straus said. “As speaker of the House, I will continue to provide respectful leadership that allows all voices to be heard.”

The brass-knuckles politics also fueled some bruising Senate campaigns.

None was tougher than in District 25, which stretches from San Antonio to Austin. Nineteen-year incumbent Jeff Wentworth was targeted for defeat by the powerful business lobby Texans for Lawsuit Reform and locked in a tough three-way fight with former state Railroad Commissioner Elizabeth Ames Jones and physician Donna Campbell. Early returns showed them all within a few percentage points of each other and battling to get into a runoff.